Disoriental, Harry Potter, starting a new book, suburbian hell, and more
Seven thin(g/k)s I explored this week
Hello dear reader,
January has been dreary, but the presence of snow and rain still leaves me in awe of mother nature. Despite catching a stomach bug, I have tried to take full advantage of the cozy environment around me by diving into books, my ultimate comfort. (In addition to hearty soups!) Being currently enthralled in the pages of Wuthering Heights, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons, loosely based on plotlines, with my read of Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These last month. Both subtly feature as the backdrop a family man randomly taking in an orphan without having consulted anyone, much to the caprice of the family itself. But while in Keegan’s story we as readers salute the commendable spirit of such permanent hospitality, Bronte in hers more mischievously plays with our emotions, given the portrayal of Heathcliff as remaining somewhat ungrateful and resentful despite the turn in his luck for the better. In one story, there is room for judgment propelled at the wife who is not keen on feeding an extra mouth and disrupting her family dynamic; in the other, the judgment is reserved for the husband who seems to not have given any thought about how to properly navigate this new norm in the eyes of his two children. It goes to show that two stories having the same trajectory can still conjure entirely different attitudes and leave entirely different impressions on the observer. And therein lies the beauty of storytelling. As with books, as in life.
So, if you could steer the plot of daily life toward a better February, what would that change in tone look like for you?
In the meantime, here are seven links to bits of the world I explored this week, shared with the hope that you will find them to be an inspiring springboard for deeper thinking.
Interesting review of Saltburn, which I still have not watched.
The resilience of all this frippery — the still shocking hold the English aristocracy has over the global imagination — proves the British class system we young Thatcherites were intent on blowing up had a few tricks up its sleeves yet. And maybe seeking its oblivion was short-sighted (as Oliver clearly came to believe). Orwell famously wanted to abolish all of it, but the history of the British elite has its glories as well as iniquities; its culture has been woven into the very concept of Englishness; and for a couple of centuries, it created the entire modern world we live in. The lovely aspect of the film is that it neither condemns nor defends this class; it seeks to understand and appreciate them. Their foe is an anti-hero. They are not just symbols of oppression; they are people too, with all the wounds that flesh is heir to.
These beautiful shellfish napkins, which I will just be staring at because I can’t justify a price point of $140.
Over a lovely video call with my dear Washingtonian friend, I received a recommendation from her to read Disoriental by Négar Djavadi. Adding it to my February list of reads. Also, G and I started listening to Harry Potter on Audible together while cooking, walking, driving, and other daily tasks, and it’s already proved to be such a lovely, soothing couple’s activity. The narration is by Jim Dale, and quite excellent. It’s my first time ‘reading’ the book, and I’ve been giddily enjoying discovering G’s inner child.
A short story written by Max Porter and acted out by Cillian Murphy, All of This Unreal Time.
My idea of hell—suburbia, and California cities come mighty close: “California is a land of overpriced low-density sprawl. . . . [W]hen Californians finally do get to where they want to go — their office, a shopping center or a restaurant — they aren’t really able to walk around much, except maybe inside a mall. Sitting in their isolated office parks or shopping at a strip mall, they are deprived of many of the pleasures that people in dense cities take for granted — the ability to walk out and get a coffee, or see a bunch of interesting people on the street, or try a new restaurant without driving fifteen minutes to get there, or randomly bump into people you know on the street. They live their lives point-to-point, shuttling themselves between isolated nodes of development.” — an article on the California Forever Project.
Sunday Subs, see you soon!
Warmly,
Ani
I love writing these newsletters and creating deeper threads of connection for you in this absurd world of ours. It is my soul’s sustenance, but it is also an enormous endeavor with regard to time and effort. If you enjoy my writing, and if able, please consider supporting it by way of interaction—follow along on Instagram, YouTube, or leave a comment/like here— or by subscribing/upgrading to my paid-tier here on Substack. It is hugely appreciated, and I thank you.
your weekly dispatch has easily become my favourite sunday morning coffee read. thank you 🫶🏻
I couldn’t agree more with the above comment. I’ve been looking forward to your name popping out in my email once a week ❤️